But it needed a deflected strike from full-back Leighton Baines to ease the growing nerves around Goodison Park in their early-season Euro clash.

Ruzomberok, playing in Europe for the first time in 11 years, made sure it was a frustrating and hard night for Roo and his new team-mates. And it took until the 65th minute, when Kevin Mirallas’ corner was headed out to Baines 25 yards out, for those frustrations to ease.

The England defender unleashed a vicious shot and a kind deflection off Erik Daniel saw it wrong-foot the keeper and fly into the Slovakians’ net.

Rooney’s high-profile comeback to Goodison, 13 years after he quit the club in a £27m move to Manchester United, has been one of the most compelling storylines in a crazy Premier League transfer feeding frenzy this summer.

And if there was any fear that a minority of the Goodison faithful would treat him with suspicion, those concerns were quickly dispelled. The sell-out crowd at a reduced capacity Goodison roared at every mention of Rooney’s name pre-match and, once the number 10 set the new season rolling from kick-off, those fans were willing him to impress.

Early signs were promising for the Blues with keeper Matus Macik panicking into a weak clearing punch from an early cross from newboy Cuco Martina. Rooney faced up to Ajax captain Davy Klaassen in his last match as a Manchester United player, in May’s Europa League Final. Now, in the same competition, Roo found himself in the same line-up as the Dutch playmaker and the pair linked well with Mirallas early on to draw approving roars from the home fans.

Jamie Carragher and Tony Bellew pick a Liverpool/Everton combined XI

JAMIE CARRAGHER and Tony Bellew have picked a combined XI of the best players from Liverpool and Everton's squads.

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Jamie Carragher and Tony Bellew pick a Liverpool/Everton combined XI

And on nine minutes, under-pressure Ruzomberok skipper Dominik Kruzliak sliced the ball horribly as Klaassen headed into the area and almost put the ball over Matic’s head into his own goal before the keeper slapped it clear.

Idrissa Gueye latched onto the clearance and sent the game’s first real shot sailing over. Then, on 19 minutes, Rooney spied his first sight of goal as an Everton player after another flowing, slick, quick passing attack.

It ended with Klaassen sweeping the ball wide to the left for Baines to pick out the veteran striker who spun and sent a powerful shot wide of the Slovakian goal. There was a quick response from the visitors, and the first moment of even vague concern for Maarten Stekelenburg in the home goal.

Matej Kochan was given too much space in midfield and squared for team-mate Dalibor Takac whose 20-yard shot was low and not far off-target. That was quickly forgotten just before the half-hour when Dominic Calvert-Lewin, hero of England’s under-20 World Cup win, showed great skill to win a tackle on his way into the box

His short cross found Rooney but he slipped as he shot goalwards and Macik easily saved his mishit strike. Calvert-Lewin was involved again a minute later, this time setting up Klaassen with an intelligent assist but the Dutchman dithered and shot into the sidenetting with the goal seemingly at his mercy.

But it was looking an increasing danger that those misses might come back to haunt the Toffees. That might well have been the case before the break when Daniel was given acres of room to surge through midfield before delivering a 22-yard shot which Stekelenburg kept out well, diving sharply to his right. And when Nermin Haskic whipped over a dangerous far-post cross